


if you want me let me know, time will tell before you bleed me slow

by robbosugden



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Falling In Love, Feelings Realization, M/M, Minor Character Death, Movie: The Purge: Election Year, Violence, politician robert, security officer aaron
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-05-27 00:23:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15012641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robbosugden/pseuds/robbosugden
Summary: This is based off The Purge: Election Year film (you don't have to have watched the film) Aaron is Robert's security, and they are together trying to survive the purge. / I promise nobody dies





	if you want me let me know, time will tell before you bleed me slow

**Author's Note:**

> title is from the song The Muggs - Never Know Why
> 
> enjoy x

It’s the annual purge night. The night Robert dreads with his whole being. It takes him back to when he was a child and experiencing it all for the first time. Robert still has nightmares, memories and fears. He was only seven and he had to sit and watch his _whole_ family be killed in front of him. Too young and scared to be able to do anything.

Everyday he lives with it. The regret and remorse that he couldn’t do more, couldn’t fight. He wasn’t strong enough _, brave_ enough to fight back. Despite being told by friends there was nothing he could have possibly have done, Robert can’t accept it.

Even eighteen years later, when he’s campaigning to stop the annual purge, he pushes through his own experience and fears to save others. If he couldn’t save his own flesh and blood, he’ll do anything he can to save another life.

**

Robert knew the way this night went, he had his way of protecting himself. The high electric fences along his home, CCTV focusing on every area of his home, inside and out. He had metal shutters clamped down over his doors and windows.

But that wasn’t enough. The government still felt he wasn’t safe enough, and deep down, after all the other purge nights that had passed, and he’d survived, he never fully felt safe. But that was another weakness Robert didn’t and wouldn’t admit too.

His protests were squashed by people more important than him, people who knew more than they would ever admit to.

And that’s how Aaron Dingle found his way into Robert’s life.

His security guard, who had been practically _living_ in Robert’s home for almost three months prior to the purge. Aaron had been by Robert’s side, quiet but there, at every press conference or tv interview. He was never far from Robert’s side, but Aaron barely spoke. He was there to do a job, not make friends.

And a good job he did. Robert _trusted_ Aaron, appreciated his time, even if all they did was sit in silence, often sharing nothing but a quick glance at each other.

Then somewhere between glances and little nods, Robert found himself wanting to know more. Wanted to know about the man who he was sharing a roof with.

Robert had made him a tea, he had sat back and watched how Aaron gradually helped himself to making his own drinks the longer he was staying, so Robert knew just how he liked it. Aaron entered the kitchen, already in one of his many black suits Robert had seen him in. Another reminder that this wasn’t anything more than a guy doing his job.

“I made you tea,” Robert smiled a little at Aaron. “I thought it was about time.”

There was no emotion in Aaron’s face, but he gave a tight smile and sat at the dining table. “Thanks, you didn’t have to.”

He sounded tired and on edge, like the world was weighing heavy on his shoulders. But Robert didn’t want to push, he knew what was happening in a few weeks, guessed that that was what was getting to him.

“You’re pretty much here to keep me alive,” Robert laughed weakly. “I think it’s the least I can do.”

“It’s my job, isn’t it?” Aaron shrugged. “I’ve done it plenty of times before.”

Robert’s jaw tenses, wonders how many times he’s put his life on the line for somebody he barely knew or even really cared about. And now Robert’s being placed at the top of Aaron’s priority list of people who need saving, and Robert can’t help but think who’s ever there to keep Aaron safe?

He tightens his hands around his coffee mug, appreciates the warmth. “Yeah, I guess, but you need to keep safe too. We are all in the same situation,” Robert watches Aaron carefully. “What if something bad happens to you?”

Aaron sips at his tea, doesn’t even look at Robert. “I know what I’m doing. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“You do know there’s more people than ever taking part in the purge in a few weeks, right?” Robert growls with frustration at Aaron’s none reaction. “Which means you’re more at risk than ever before. You aren’t invincible, Aaron.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” Aaron sighs, finally showing _something._ “But I am here to protect you, and on the night, we will have armed officers around us to keep us both as safe as possible.”

But that doesn’t settle Robert, instead that meant more people were at harm. That they could lose their life’s and it would be his fault. Just like it was when he lost everything he knew when he was a kid. He swallows the bile he feels rising and decides to leave the conversation there.

He heads to leave and when Aaron gets to stand up to follow him, he turns quickly. “I need some time alone. If I need you, I’ll call.”

Aaron looks hesitant, and it doesn’t look like Aaron will back down. He is here to do one thing, and he can’t do that if he can’t keep sight of Robert.

“I won’t be far,” Robert promises. “ _Please.”_

And Aaron seems to get it. He nods a little and sits back down.

Robert heads up to the attic. The place where his childhood is kept together. Photos and everything sentimental he could keep and get whilst he had the chance. He lays himself down on the hard, wooden flooring, a photo of his family in his hands.

He can’t help it, doesn’t want to keep it in. He cries quietly, harsh sobs leaving him, and he lifts the photo to his lips and presses a shaky kiss to it. “I’m so sorry,” he whispers between sobs.

He falls into a sleep with his family close to his chest.

**

It’s the day before the purge. It’s everywhere they turn, and Robert begins to doubt all his hard work. He’s about to do his final tv campaign and he knows what he wants to say, it’s been so clear for days now, but now he’s here with the flashing cameras and journalists he finds he can’t speak.

He’s done this before, it’s not that. It’s the images that start to flash in front of him, the masks and costumes these perpetrators wear when they go out and _kill._

The massive white teeth and smile from the one he can remember so clearly mocks him and he stumbles on stage. He doesn’t reach the ground, a firm hand and body come up behind him and holds him tight. Aaron.

Wordlessly, Aaron guides him off the stage and all Robert can hear now is the waiting press behind him. They’re lapping this up, they’ve got a definite headline and photo for the front-page newspaper tomorrow.

“Hey,” Aaron sounds gentle and his hand absent mindlessly soothes Robert’s arm through his suit. “Everything ok?”

After their last failed attempt at talking, Aaron seemed to be the one who tried more. He had become more relaxed, they even had a laugh and found they had a common love for cars. Every day they grew closer, and every day had also falsely let themselves believe that this wasn’t happening anymore.

But today they were shoved back into reality with a massive bang. One that Robert couldn’t deal with. His breathing steadied at Aaron’s hand on his arm. “I can’t do this,” Robert admitted.

Aaron bit his lip, found himself standing taller and shaking his head. “That’s not true, and you know it. You can’t give up now.”

“People are going to get killed tomorrow,” Robert swallowed. “I can’t stop that.”

“But you _can_ stop it from ever happening again after tomorrow,” Aaron said strongly. “You’re going to do this for that little boy who lost his family.”

Aaron had known about Robert’s back story, but he never pried. Not until Robert had told him himself, opened up about it to him over a meal Aaron had cooked up for them. He had seen the photos, Robert had felt comfortable enough to share the biggest disaster he had ever gone through and Aaron had been…perfect.

He had been just what Robert needed. Supportive, tough and a shoulder to cry on. And this was no different.

“I’ll be right here,” Aaron reassured. “You’re amazing, Robert.”

That last bit wasn’t meant to have been said or heard or even thought of. Aaron shifted slightly and cleared his throat, didn’t see the way Robert’s lips raised into a genuine smile. “Go.”

And with a deep breath, Robert went and gave his strongest campaign speech yet.

**

The night was here, there was no trying to push it away as if that was possible. After Robert’s campaign, Aaron had closed off from Robert. As if their growing…friendship, dare Robert call it that, was all in Robert’s head. Like Aaron hadn’t told Robert he thought he was amazing just a few hours earlier.

Aaron had showered and told Robert that they should both get some sleep, that tomorrow was going to be a long day. But sleep wasn’t the answer, nothing was.

Robert ended up staying up all night. He had stayed glued to the spare room where all the laptops had linked up to the CCTV around the place. Nothing happened, it was the calm before the storm.

Chief Barton and additional security forces joined them. All armed and wired up to communicate if they came across something the others missed. Aaron presses the button to lock down the shutters over the house and puts on the tv.

You could cut the tension with a knife, all too scared to move or speak. And then the announcement is made:

This is your Emergency Broadcast System announcing the commencement of the annual Purge. At the siren all crime, including murder, will be legal for twelve hours. All emergency services will be suspended. Your government thanks you for your participation.

The sound of the sirens spreading sends shivers down Robert’s spine and he leaves the room in a hurry. Aaron’s following him instinctively, “Robert!”

Robert turns to face Aaron, his arms out either side of him and Aaron knows that look. The haunted look in his eyes, the one that thinks all this is his fault, but Aaron just stands there now, because he knows this is when Robert needs to be left alone.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Robert licks his lips, his mouth drying. “I’ve got some work to do, I’ll be in my office.”

Aaron knows it’s a lie, has grown to know Robert better than he ever thought he would and it’s _difficult_ to see Robert like this because he can’t do anything beyond what he is here to do. Getting too close could make this nightmare worse.

Feelings can’t and won’t come into it.

Chief Barton is patrolling the downstairs of the property and Aaron heads back into the room to check up on the extra security. He calls through to them on his two-way radio. None of them respond, so he tries again. When nothing comes through, he realises that the footage is on a constant loop.

He accesses the CCTV operation and sees it; his blood boils and his legs shake up and down. How could this have happened?

Every single one of them is _dead._ Aaron needs to move fast, he needs to get Robert and himself out of here. It doesn’t take him long to realise that he’s being betrayed. It would hurt if he didn’t already know what the purge did to people. He knows what type of people he is working with.

He barges into Robert’s office, he throws Robert a bullet proof vest and puts on his own. “We have to go.”

Robert’s eyes widen, “what do you mean?”

“We’ve been betrayed, and we need to survive. So, please Robert, just listen to me and put on your vest.”

Robert suddenly gets himself into action, tries to think passed Aaron’s words. His body feels like jelly and he threats at the sight of Aaron opening a case he had been keeping in one of Robert’s side cabinets and bringing out two guns and loading them with bullets.

He tucks them under his belt and tells Robert to go first. They head up to the attic, it’s their only exit and Robert panics. “I can’t go out there.”

“We have no choice,” Aaron shakes his head as if he’s sorry. “They’re in your home, and it won’t be long before they find us. If you want to live, we need to leave.”

The thought of people near him, in his life, in the place he calls his home angers him. Wonders why so-called humans would want to murder someone, a person who has done nothing wrong to anybody. Who has fought for the safety of others.

Aaron’s opening the window and flicking the switch on the underneath of the metal guard to release it. He pauses and offers a hand out to Robert, his grip tight and Robert clings on. His life literally depending on Aaron.

Robert goes first down the drain pipe and Aaron quickly follows. They run behind the trees of Robert’s garden and Aaron gives him a leg up to climb over the high wall.

But there’s a bang, and the world seems to stop for a few minutes. Robert drops over the other side of the wall, Aaron knows what’s happened to him and his heart almost collapses, his breathing goes shallow and he seems to forget all sense of movement.

And then there’s another shot being fired, and Aaron dodges it. He doesn’t have time to think, he needs to get to Robert and they’re under attack and if Aaron gets hurt too, that it.

He detonates the bomb ready to go off, just in time for Aaron to climb over the wall and get to Robert.

Robert’s conscious, the wound on his shoulder making blood soak through his shirt, but Aaron knows it could have been a lot worse if it wasn’t for the bullet proof vest.

Aaron pulls Robert up, makes him stand on his shaky legs. “Bastards,” Robert whimpers.

Aaron scoffs, “I can think of worse things to call them.” Aaron looks around them, he can’t see anyone, but he knows that doesn’t make them safe. “I’m sorry, but I had to do something,” Aaron looks at the timer on his phone before the bomb is about to go off. “I had to do it to make sure they would die,” Aaron says calmly as he could.

“What?” Robert looks up at Aaron.

“Your home is going to be ruined,” Aaron bites at his lip. “It’s not a big explosion…but I had to do what I thought was best.”

“A bomb?” Robert shakes his head, looks back at what he can see of his home. He swallows, everything aches in his body and all he can think of is of all he’s got of his family in there. But he looks up at Aaron, can see the fear that maybe this could make Robert hate him or something. Robert knows it’s the last thing he would have wanted to do, but he did it to keep him alive and Robert can’t feel anything else in him over than to be thankful. “The décor was rank anyway,” Robert lips rise a little and Aaron let’s go of the breath he was holding.

The look in Aaron’s eyes make Robert forget about the dull ache in his body, his hands wrap around his own. “I’m still sorry,” he says softly.

Robert doesn’t know why he does it, probably because he’s just been shot, and his body and brain aren’t working properly right now, but he strokes a thumb over Aaron’s knuckles. “No need,” and Aaron’s smile brings light to Robert’s life, for the first time since he called him amazing.

Aaron pulls Robert’s better arm over his shoulder and moves them away as quickly as he can. They manage to gain a little sprint through the woods and they don’t look back when they hear the explosion.

They are on their own now and they have one goal: survival.


End file.
